1. Field of Invention
This invention relates in general to braces for joint support. Specifically, the invention relates to an exteriorly positionable anatomical brace including a connector for connecting the brace to the user, as well as a separate adjuster for adjusting (i.e., tighten or loosen) the brace on the user.
2. Description
The human body is comprised of a many different joints. Both injury and disease can affect the health, well-being, and operability of the various joints of the human body. Chief among such joints are the knee and elbow, where disease such as osteo-arthritis can curtail normal activity or where an injury such as a sports-related abuse or impact can prevent or severely limit continued activity. Many joint injuries occur when the ligaments holding the joint together tear, either completely or partially.
The knee joint is one of the body's most delicate joints making it prone to injury. The femur, tibia, and fibula are the bones within the leg that comprise the knee joint. The bones are connected by four ligaments. Two collateral ligaments are located on the outside of the knee and control the lateral motion of the knee. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) control rotation of the knee as well as the forward and backward motion of the knee. An injury to any joint, including the knee, is likely to occur when an excessive force is applied to the joint, which may cause the bones to displace beyond its allowable limits, thereby tearing the ligaments.
One method of preventing or reducing the risk of joint injuries is to fit the joint with a brace. The brace provides added stability and support to the particular joint by mitigating damaging movement of the joint (i.e., over-extension).
Braces are configured for use on individuals that vary in size. For instance, a knee brace may be adaptable for use on a user having a leg defining a large circumference or a small circumference. In order to accommodate the various sized limbs which the brace may be disposed on, conventional braces typically include an adjustment mechanism that is adjusted prior to the brace being placed on the limb. In other words, in order for the brace to be properly fitted to the user, the user must adjust the brace to the particular size of the user before the user places the brace on his limb. Ensuring that the brace is properly sized is generally critical to the effectiveness of the brace, i.e., if the brace is not sized correctly, the brace may be ineffective. Accordingly, the process of adjusting and sizing the brace is typically performed on a routine basis, and in some instances, the brace is resized each time the brace is placed on the user's limb.
Although the adaptability of the brace is advantageous in many respects, the process of adjusting the brace may be very time consuming and frustrating. Furthermore, many braces are configured such that adjustment can only take place when the brace is disconnected from the limb. Therefore, once the user has placed the brace on his limb and the user would like to tighten or loosen the brace, it may be necessary to completely disconnect the brace to make such an adjustment.
As such, there is a need in the art for a joint brace that is configured to provide easy adjustment of the brace to allow the user to place the brace on the user's limb without requiring adjustment each time the brace is placed on the limb. The present invention address this particular need, as will be discussed in more detail below.